Mauer Promoted To Cats

Catcher Joe Mauer, the No.1 overall pick in the 2001 draft, was promoted to the Rock Cats Sunday along with two other players.

Also coming up from Class A Fort Myers will be righthanders J.D. Durbin and Jim Abbott. Catcher Gabby Torres was sent to New Britain from Triple A Rochester. Rock Cats catcher Rob Bowen was promoted to Rochester, and catcher Kelley Gulledge was reassigned to Fort Myers.

"We needed some fresh faces in here," manager Stan Cliburn said after Sunday's 3-2 loss to New Haven at New Britain Stadium, which dropped the Rock Cats to 25-36, last in the Eastern League North.

Mauer, 20, who received a $5.15 million signing bonus out of high school, was hitting .335, third in the Florida State League, with a home run and 44 RBI in 62 games.

"He is a very disciplined hitter," Cliburn said of Mauer, 6 feet 4, 220 pounds, a left-handed hitter.

Durbin, 21, was 9-2 with a 3.09 ERA in 14 starts for Fort Myers. Abbott, 23, no relation to former major league pitcher Jim Abbott, was 5-3 with a 2.31 ERA.